What Is On The Bottom of Your Truck Camper?

[roamlab]

I am in the middle replacing the floor of my truck camper. The original plywood is terribly rotten and, after years of previous owners patching it, it's time to bite the bullet and start over.

The original base of the TC has three plywood rails running north south. I assume this is for drainage? As I am replacing all wood with a fiberglass-foam composite, I plan to do the same with these, but I'm considering adding a layer of rubber to manage slippage and wear. Thoughts?

What is the bottom of you truck camper made of? Have you done any modifications to it?

[1mtnman]

I bought an older Hallmark truck camper that I rebuilt. The plywood on the bottom was totally rotted out along with some of the super structure. I used 3/4" plywood to replace the bottom. I rolled 3 coats of Flexseal on prior to attaching the plywood to the camper. Flexseal is not cheap but it is a great product. I got mine at Lowes about $75.00 per gallon but have 1/2 can left.

[GoinThisAway]

The bottom of my Bigfoot is fiberglass. I did have an issue with slippage side-to-side until I made a pair of removable plastic boards that both help me align when I load and keep it from slipping.

[Reddog1]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Reddog1 wrote:
I would just put everyday plywood or strand board, probably 3/4" thick. Paint it with a good deck paint. I would put 1-1/2" x 1/8" angle iron around the bottom edges, mounted with countersunk screws. This is just to protect the corners. I would caulk the angle iron.

I would use 1/2" thick horse stall mat in the bed of the truck. I think it is 4'x 5', so you will need two. You want the mat to go past the sides of the TC floor. It is pliable enough the angle iron can sink in, and it will compress at the ribs in the truck bed. Its thickness is pliable yet soft enough to resist your TC sliding. Being 1/2" thick rubber, it will provide some insulation. It is heavy enough the wind will not blow it out of the truck if you leave it in without the TC.

Wayne

Wayne..

I think I'd use aluminum angle versus iron for the rust factor and miter the corners and caulk with Dicor.

I think that would be over kill. I am sure someone is going to suggest marine plywood and stainless steel screws. More over kill in my opinion. I don't have aluminum, stainless or marine plywood in my home.

[SidecarFlip]

Reddog1 wrote:
I would just put everyday plywood or strand board, probably 3/4" thick. Paint it with a good deck paint. I would put 1-1/2" x 1/8" angle iron around the bottom edges, mounted with countersunk screws. This is just to protect the corners. I would caulk the angle iron.

I would use 1/2" thick horse stall mat in the bed of the truck. I think it is 4'x 5', so you will need two. You want the mat to go past the sides of the TC floor. It is pliable enough the angle iron can sink in, and it will compress at the ribs in the truck bed. Its thickness is pliable yet soft enough to resist your TC sliding. Being 1/2" thick rubber, it will provide some insulation. It is heavy enough the wind will not blow it out of the truck if you leave it in without the TC.

Wayne

Wayne..

I think I'd use aluminum angle versus iron for the rust factor and miter the corners and caulk with Dicor.

[Reddog1]

I would just put everyday plywood or strand board, probably 3/4" thick. Paint it with a good deck paint. I would put 1-1/2" x 1/8" angle iron around the bottom edges, mounted with countersunk screws. This is just to protect the corners. I would caulk the angle iron.

I would use 1/2" thick horse stall mat in the bed of the truck. I think it is 4'x 5', so you will need two. You want the mat to go past the sides of the TC floor. It is pliable enough the angle iron can sink in, and it will compress at the ribs in the truck bed. Its thickness is pliable yet soft enough to resist your TC sliding. Being 1/2" thick rubber, it will provide some insulation. It is heavy enough the wind will not blow it out of the truck if you leave it in without the TC.

Wayne

[work2much]

I'm not sure I would go fiberglass. Is is flexible enough to handle differential loading when the camper is flexing around on jack stands? The bottom of many wood or aluminum framed campers is just a belly pan and not a structural part of the rv. They are often thin to save weight. If plywood was there before I would consider replacing in kind with high quality plywood. Apply wood sealer before install.

[SidecarFlip]

Mine is 3/4" plywood overlayed with waterproof paint and I have 3 roll formed steel channels running parallel with the camper and one across the back screwed into the floor every 1 1/2".

Good luck with adhering a rubber sheet to the bottom. Think I'd just use a bed mat. I like the roll formed channels on the bottom. Keeps the bottom off the pickup floor and allows any rainwater to run out so the floor stays dry all the time.

Downside of the channels are they are slippery but the camper has never moved in the bed. the bed is Rhino Lined.

[Reddog1]

There is a Avion camper rebuilds - hundreds of photos thread you may find of interest. Unfortunately many of the photo links are broken. If you read something there, you can post on the thread or send the poster a PM requesting more info or photos. This is assuming you are after information on your Avion.

Wayne

[Kayteg1]

When I bought my camper I was under assumption that the floor- being main structural component is 1 1/8" plywood. That did not to turn to be truth as once putting it on stand jack, the side start collapsing.
So now I have 3/4" plywood attached at the bottom.
Gluing rubber to the bottom is not going to be easy. I have factory rubber mat on my Ford and it does good job.